I have experienced moments that caused me to wonder if “This little light of mine” misses the mark. The song suggests that it is our light that shines, when it’s really Christ’s light shining through us. We can’t possess the light any more than we can capture a ray of sunlight in our hands.
The Sunday following Epiphany on January 6, Lutherans observe the Baptism of our Lord. Having been baptized, Jesus then announces that the Spirit of the Lord is upon him. We hear on the following Sundays how Jesus lived out this calling of the Spirit: healing, teaching and forgiving.
It is this same Spirit of God that enlivens us and enables us to be light for the world. In our baptism, a sponsor receives a burning candle and the words are proclaimed: “Let your light shine before others…” When a clear sign evades us, we can draw immense comfort from the promises made in our baptism. We can see light and be light only by the light of Christ working through us and through those around us.
This message is excerpted from “Arise, shine this Epiphany” by Jennifer Baker-Trinity in the January 2018 Café online magazine. Today we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord.
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